A (Mostly) Fresh Start
by Imdownysoft
Summary: I've been a human for twenty years now, until one day I (Mark) wake up in Avalar. I also fall in love with a dragoness named Sophia. How far will I go to prove my love? Time will tell. Rated T until further notice.
1. Metamorphosis

Well, here starts the first chapter, hope you all enjoy it! I don't own any characters from the Legend of Spyro series. Rest and Relaxation is optional, but Read and Review is preferred.

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**A (Mostly) Fresh Start**

**Chapter 1: Metamorphosis**

I opened my eyes, only to shut them from the glare of the sun. I then turned my head to the right and re-opened my eyes, and I saw grass… _'Grass?' _I thought, _'I must be imagining this, before I fell asleep, I was in my room.'_ I used my right hand to confirm this, and sure enough I was lying on grass. _'I might as well see where I am, then.'_ I got up, and in front of me, I saw a dense forest. To my left was a grassy plain, and to my right was a mountain. I turned around to see something extraordinary, a city. This city was quite large, I squinted my eyes, and I could have sworn I saw some flying objects, yet they were not nearly the size of an airplane. I felt a hard blow to the back of my head, and I passed out.

I re-awakened at the sight of a camp, but I wasn't lying down this time, instead, my arms and legs were tied to two poles, and I saw what looked like baboons walking around. I couldn't really see them for their backs were turned, and the fact that it was night-time didn't help. One of the baboons just so happened to turn around, "He awake, he awake!" It said, and they all came walking towards me. They all began looking at me, curiously. I attempted to talk, but I realized that they have gagged me.

"Enough!" A commanding voice yelled, and all of the baboons moved away, while another, and larger, baboon walked up, he had a cane in his right hand. "You are not of this world, are you?" He said, while looking me over. I shook my head 'no'. "Do you know where you are?" Again I shook my head. "Excellent, then no-one will know about this." He grinned in an evil manner. The large baboon then pulled out a vial of blue liquid, he motioned for some baboons to come over, and nodded at them. One of them held my mouth open, while the other took out the gag. "I hope you enjoy this." The baboon said, while pouring the liquid in my mouth. It immediately began burning my throat and my vision began to go hazy. All I could do was hear and breath. I felt my body change, like I was growing appendages, and a few moments later, I heard the large baboon yell, "To arms!" I then heard fighting, and even though my vision was hazy, I could still see that all the baboons were circling something, something that killed them all in a matter of seconds.

"Wake up!" the feminine voice said, "Hang on, I'll get you out of this."

I had got a quick look at her, she had black scales and a pink underbelly. She looked a lot like that dragon off of the Legend of Spyro series I played, "Cynder?" Was all I said before going unconscious.

Again, I woke up to new surroundings, now I was in a cave. I tried to get up, but I felt pain all over. "Don't get up yet, I'm still working on you." I heard a different feminine voice say. About a minute or two later, the pain just, vanished. "All done." I got back up, but something was different, I was standing on all fours! The weird thing though, was that it felt natural. _'I've been standing on two all my life.'_ I looked around, and saw a mirror. I jumped off the table I was on and walked towards it. What I saw as the reflection nearly caused me to lose balance. I was no longer a human, instead I was a dragon. I had blue scales, light blue horns, dark blue wings, a white underbelly, and a spear-like tail-tip. I turned away from the mirror, _'I know this has to be a dream.'_ I looked back, and nothing changed. I walked backward from the mirror until I bumped into something, another dragon. I turned around, this dragon had green scales, light brown horns, a dark brown underbelly, light green wings, and what looked like a mace for a tail-tip.

"She told me to tell you that you should talk to her when you feel well enough." The deep voice said, and pointed a claw to a door. I nodded and walked off, too afraid to speak. After reaching the door, I knocked on it.

"Come in!" I heard a voice say. I did so, and when I got inside I saw that dragoness who killed those baboons yesterday, she was on a bed reading something. "So you're feeling better? I'm glad I found you when I did." She said, in a slightly seductive voice.

"Th-thank you." I said, and I suddenly felt a little warm on the inside.

"You are welcome." She politely said back. She then put done what she was reading and looked at me. I immediately looked down, I felt shy. "What's wrong?"

"I, um…" my mouth began to get dry, and I felt a little hotter.

"You are blushing!" She giggled. I heard her walk over, and she lifted my head with her paw. Her eyes were a light blue. "My name is Sophia, yours?"

"M-Mark."

"You have beautiful blue eyes, Mark." I felt even hotter at that point.

"I, um, thank you?" I barely managed to say.

"Stop teasing the boy, Sophia." A familiar feminine voice said.

"Alright, Pam."

"Okay, Mark was it?" I nodded, "You aren't in pain anymore, are you?" I shook my head. "Good, what about feeling dizzy?" I shook my head again, I couldn't get the nerve to talk, and it didn't really help that Sophia was eyeing me. "Great job, Sophia, I think he's got a crush on you." Pam then walked out, I didn't even think to look at Pam, the only thing I could do is look down, like I normally would when I was being teased on as a human.

"Is something wrong?" Sophia asked me. I heard Sophia walk up to me.

"Do you really mean it?" I asked after a few moments.

"Excuse me?" She sounded confused.

"I mean, do you actually like me?"

"Of course, you are a handsome dragon." She raised my head up again. "But do you like me?"

"Y-yes… I like you."

She smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth, then she hugged me. I returned the hug after a few seconds. "Can I ask you something?" She asked after we released.

"Sure."

"How did you know Cynder? I have never seen you around here."

My suspicions were then confirmed, I have been somehow teleported to Avalar, which means that city I saw was Warfang, but how would I explain that? "It is kind of a long story." I said at an attempt to discourage her.

"Then let us sit." She then lead me to a pair of chairs.

I took a deep breath, I could tell she wanted to hear the story. "Very well." I went back in my memories about one year, "This will sound outlandish, but I was once a human." I looked at her, and she seemed to be listening completely. "I use to live on a planet called Earth. There we, the humans, had many different kinds of technology. The one I used the most was in a category called 'Electronic Entertainment'." I took another breath, trying to not go into much detail. "There was this, piece of technology, called 'Video Games'. It would allow a person to, in a sense, 'immerse' themselves in a fictional world." I took one more breath, this would be the hardest part. "There were a series of games called, 'The Legend of Spyro', and it allowed the gamer to play as Spyro throughout his journeys. It told of his foster parents, the guardians, Cynder, and many other characters." I stopped there, waiting for the "You are lying."

She just sat there, I guess she was trying to understand all of this. "So these 'games' told everything about him."

"Most of it."

"Would you mind telling me about him?"

I was stunned, "You never met him?"

"No, I've been in this cave since Cynder patrolled the skies."

I thought about this for a moment, I would rather not reveal Spyro's life, but then a thought occurred, "According to the game, Spyro cleansed the corruption from Cynder, and they both ended the war. Wouldn't you rather meet them?"

Her eyes glimmered for a moment, but she got serious again, "But what if the game is wrong?"

I then felt a little unnerved, Spyro, in the game, is a hero to Avalar, I don't understand why she wouldn't believe me, maybe it was the thought of Cynder? "I promise you, I know the game has to be correct, and if it is Cynder you are worried about, I promise you, she has changed since Spyro saved her."

"Does the game tell that there are dragons that have sided with The Dark Master?"

"What?" Now I was confused, I thought she said she hasn't been out since Cynder patrolled the skies. "No."

"Indeed, I, at times, saw a city in the distance, I would travel there, but I am unsure if it is a city against The Dark Master."

"You mean Warfang, that is the home of the Guardians and many other dragons."

"So it would be safe there, but there are dragons that patrol these woods, I barely escaped last time."

"I never knew that." She nodded, Pam came rushing in the room, closing the door behind her.

"They are here!" she said quietly.

"What about Tremor?"

"He's already been spotted, he is fending them off now, but he was outnumbered." Sophia nodded.

"This way." She started feeling around the floor, and gripped on to something I couldn't see. As she pulled up, a trapdoor was revealed, "Go!" She pointed down, without really even thinking I jumped down. I didn't fall for long, and I soon reached the floor, and quickly moved out of the way, as the other two should be down soon. It was quite dark down here, except for some dimly lit torches. I soon saw Pam come down, followed by Sophia, Pam grabbed a torch, "Last time I did this it took about ten minutes." Sophia said. "So we got about ten minutes before that torch dies out." Pam nodded and took the lead.

We moved at a steady pace, slow enough to keep the fire from going out. Pam then abruptly stopped, and I almost ran into her. "Here, Sophia?" Sophia nodded, and Pam pushed, the spot she pushed was actually a door. And this new room had torches, a ladder, there were also shelves with preserved water and different foods. "Grab some essentials and let's go." Pam said, picking up a satchel, and started placing some of the food and water in it.

"Are there no animals? I asked, while picking up a satchel.

"It would be a give-away if we hunted too close to the cave." Sophia said.

"Right." I started grabbing some water and food, there was too much in this room to carry, so I filled the satchel up, careful not to make the satchel a burden.

"Ready?" Pam asked.

"Yes." Sophia and I said. Pam nodded and started climbing the ladder, followed by me, then Sophia. When we got out of the chamber, it was night-time, and we were in a forest. Luckily, it felt warm, it must be Summer time. I looked around and listened, there were no sounds to be heard, and nothing to be seen save the trees.

"This might as well be where we sleep for tonight." Pam said. I yawned, then I laid down, I felt tired. I quickly fell asleep.

_**Dream**_

I opened my eyes and looked around. The first thing I noticed was, "Pam! Sophia! Where are you!" I said loudly. I then noticed that there were claw marks from where they were sleeping, they were dragged somewhere! Taking a breath, I started following the trail. The more I followed the trail, the darker it got. Then I came upon a clearing, and I saw terrible things. Sophia was bound onto an altar, Pam was mutilated, and I saw a very familiar dragon standing at the other side.

"No need to hide, Mark." It was Malefor. I was then pushed by some invisible hand into the clearing. Even though I never fought before, I bared my teeth and claws for battle. Malefor laughed, "Don't be foolish, would you really throw your life away? While Sophia still lives?" That caught me off guard, and I looked at Sophia, and sure enough, she was still breathing. "I know you love her." I then looked back at Malefor, that statement was true, even though I never told her.

"What do you want?" I said.

"A way back into this world."

"So you can, what? Have another attempt to destroy it?"

"It won't be an attempt this time. You do know that Spyro hasn't fully recovered, right?" He started staring me down, "And this time, I have some allies of my own."

"Leave Sophia alone!"

"Ignorant dragon! Sophia IS my daughter!" He bellowed.

"You are lying!"

"Why else would dragons hunt her?" He grinned, "And besides, I have got you, too."

"I would never join you!"

"Even if it meant giving her up?"

"You would actually corrupt her?"

"I wouldn't need to." After saying that Malefor grabbed me, "Because, she will join me after losing you!" I felt my lungs burning, it was getting hard to breath. Malefor then loosened his grip. "And I don't mean she'll lose you by death." He then raised his other paw, and it started to radiate darkness. I struggled more since I was able to breathe again, but his grip was too strong, and he placed the paw on me. I felt the darkness grow in me, I tried to push it back, but it already took root. I began to feel colder, and then Malefor dropped me.

_**End of Dream**_


	2. Answers

A/N: I forgot to mention this in the last chapter. Sophia, Pam, Jet, and I are all around the size of Spyro. And with that out of the way, make sure you Righteously Read and Review, but also Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

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**Chapter 2: Answers**

I woke up to the sight of Sophia and Pam standing near me, "Mark, are you okay?" Sophia asked, she was extremely worried.

"Y-yea, just a bad dream."

"A dream that almost got you killed," Pam said, "you were yelling, you are lucky that nothing heard you."

"It was that bad?"

"Yes, now what was the dream about?"

I looked down at the grass, it couldn't be true? Could it? "Well, I dreamt of Malefor."

"I told you he was with him!" Pam nearly shouted.

"No! Not like that!" I took a breath, "I dreamed that we were taken by him, a-and that…" tears started to form, "that Pam had been mutilated, that Sophia had been strapped to an altar, and I was corrupted by him." I turned away from them, I began to cry.

Sophia lifted my head up and wiped my tears, "Did he say anything to you?"

I took a deep breath before answering, "He said that you were his daughter."

"Would you still love me if that was true?"

I knew where she was going with this, but I thought about it for a moment, I was choosing the best words. "I would love you no matter who you are a descendant to." She nodded, and she walked up to me for a hug, but I wanted to give her something to remember, I gave her a kiss. "And as long as you love me, I will stay by your side." I said after we parted.

"I love you, Mark."

"I love you too, Sophia." A thought occurred to me, "I think I know a way to let us stay in Warfang."

"Oh?" Pam asked.

"But first, I got to find a certain cheetah." I said, "a cheetah named Hunter."

"How?" Sophia asked.

"First I need to make some preparations." I was going to use my Ice breath to make a landmark, something out of the ordinary. It took me a few moments, but after I learned how, I started freezing treetops, making sheets of ice on the nearby clearing, and sometimes shooting an icicle into the air. I continued this for a few minutes, that is when I heard, "Hey guys, check this out!"

"Watch your step." Another one said. They must be near the clearing.

I heard a chuckle, "Look who's talking, you are the one falling down." When I got to the clearing, I saw two cheetahs, and a red dragon in the clearing.

_'Man, what luck!'_ I thought as I saw Hunter.

"Did you hear that?" the other cheetah said. I purposely cracked some ice.

"Was that you, Jet?" Hunter asked.

"No, it must have been Claw." The dragon said.

"As if!"

"Quite you two." Hunter said, getting annoyed.

_'Might as well make my entrance.'_ I began to walk out into the clearing.

"Hold your fire! It's a dragon!" Hunter said.

Jet chuckled, "He said hold your 'fire'."

"Hunter, just the cheetah I was looking for!" I said.

"Do I know you?"

"Me? No, but I know you."

"Hunter has a stalker." Jet laughed lightly.

"At least it didn't take me three years to find you."

"What do you mean by that?" Hunter asked. I got his interest now.

"Don't play around, you know, like it took you three years to find Spyro."

Hunter began to get tense, with his bow and arrow ready, "Who are you working for?"

"Now, now. Don't shoot me, unless you want to lose some valuable information."

"I said, who are you working for!?"

"I'm just trying to get myself and two others into the city."

Hunter got a little less tense, "You could've said that in the first place."

"But my company might've been… questionable." I motioned for Sophia and Pam to come out, whom weren't too far away.

"Hunter that's the ones…!" Claw said. He had his bow ready now.

"Remember what I said, I have valuable information, but only if you allow us to live either in the city, or without being hunted."

"And what kind of information would let Malefor's daughter be free?" Hunter asked.

"Information relating to Spyro and Cynder's location."

"Th-they are alive?" Hunter then looked at me sternly, "How can I trust you?"

"How can you trust me? Why did you trust Cynder after Spyro saved her from her… situation?"

"Because I trust Spyro!"

"Did you know that Spyro had absorbed some of the powers of darkness while in the Well of Souls?"

"You are lying!"

"Why should I lie?"

"Hunter? Can we shoot them now?" Claw asked, he was shaking slightly.

Hunter seemed to consider, and then he put his bow and arrow down, "Re-word the deal, and I will accept."

"What are your terms?"

"Take me to where Spyro and Cynder are, but those, things, will stay here."

"I will take you to where they are located, but you will let my friends come with us."

"Why do you need them? You have the information, not them!"

"Because," I looked at Sophia, then back at Hunter, "I made promises."

Hunter sighed. "Very well. We will leave now."

"That is acceptable." I turned to Sophia, "I told you, I am not leaving you."

"I- thank you."

"Let's move," I said, "we got a while before we reach them." The six of us began the journey to find the two heroes. Since none of the dragons here were larger than Spyro, none of us could carry the cheetahs. The day went by quite fast, and when we stopped for the night, we were on the edge of Spyro and Cynder's general location. There was a full moon out, so there was a little extra light shining on the grass and a nearby river. The scenery was quite beautiful, everything seemed to complement one another and… _'Wait.'_ I thought as I saw two flying objects in the distance. _'Okay, I am not going to wake Hunter up until I am sure that this is real.'_ I doubted my vision, because I really wanted to see Spyro and Cynder, but my mind could just be playing games on me. So I closed my eyes for five seconds and re-opened them, and the objects were gone. _'Oh well.'_ I walked beside Sophia and fell asleep.

I woke up to the sun shining on me, and I grunted, _'Just a few more minutes.'_

"Come on, Mark." I heard a gentle voice say while slightly pushing me.

"I'm up, I'm up." I got up, at least I didn't have another one of those dreams. I looked around, "Where's the others?"

"They are with Spyro and Cynder." Sophia said.

"We got to move, then, I don't want Hunter telling them…" I began to tense up.

"Pam is with them, I told her to make sure they don't do that."

"Thank you." I was now calmed.

"But you're right, let's get moving." And with that, Sophia was already taking flight. I followed her lead, and took flight. Again, like when I first walked on all fours, flying felt natural. It did not take long for us to reach their location, a large tree. Landing also came naturally, like I have been doing it all of my life.

"So, this is Mark?" Spyro asked. Pam nodded, "You're right Hunter, I have never seen him before."

"Me either." Cynder said.

"What did Hunter tell you both?" I asked.

"Not much, besides names, that's it." Spyro looked at me, "there is something you want to say, isn't there?"

"Yes, but first, allow me to get you all's attention."

"I am already…" Spyro started.

"Well, not attention then, how about interest?" I looked at Spyro, then Cynder, then Hunter, Sophia, then back to Spyro. "Claw and Jet may leave." I said without looking at them.

"Why?" I heard them ask.

"Now." I then heard them sigh, and walk off. "They don't need to hear these things I will say." I looked at Spyro, "I already told Hunter this, but he doesn't believe me. Spyro you do have some of Convexity in you, from your encounter with Gaul in the Well of Souls, right?"

Spyro and Cynder both looked stunned, "How did you know?" Spyro asked after a moment of silence.

"I will tell you that soon."

"Yes, I do." Spyro answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hunter asked, he was obviously worried.

I looked at Sophia, "You want me to tell them?" Sophia just nodded. I then looked at Spyro, "There is a reason Hunter was, skeptical about us. I am a dragon who 'popped' out of nowhere, Pam has been living from cave to cave, and Sophia is unfortunately related to Malefor, as his daughter."

"No, I don't believe that, Malefor didn't have a wife." Spyro retorted.

"What do you mean, you 'popped out of nowhere'?" Cynder asked.

"I was not originally a dragon. I was a human, who lived on Earth. Upon my sudden arrival here, I was captured by apes, and turned into a dragon with a vial of blue liquid."

"But what about Sophia?" Spyro demanded.

"Malefor did have a wife." I began remembering the story, "a few years after Sophia was born, Malefor killed his wife." I looked at Sophia, who was crying now, I walked over to her and wiped her tears, "I will protect you, remember that." I turned to Spyro, with one of my wings over Sophia, "We came to you, so we could seek refuge in Warfang, or at the least, let there be no more bounty hunters trying to collect our heads." I could tell Spyro was deep in thought, as well as Cynder.

"Spyro, don't do this, how do you know they aren't plotting against you." Hunter said.

"Spyro, she didn't ask to be his daughter, give her a chance, like you did with Cynder after you saved her." I said.

Spyro then spoke up, "You three have my support, I am not going to hold it against you for being Malefor's daughter."

"As will I." Cynder said. "You have my support as well."

"Thank you so much!" Sophia cheered.

"Never once in my life I would even think I would see Warfang." Pam said.

"You sure about this, Spyro?" Hunter asked.

"Stop doubting them, please."

"I, okay Spyro, but only because I trust your judgments." Hunter looked at Claw, who was at a distance, "You guys go on ahead, Claw and I will tell about Spyro and Cynder's return."

"Okay."

"Let's get moving, then." I said loudly. I took flight towards Warfang, with Sophia beside me. "Keep some distance between us and them." I told her.

"What's wrong?"

"I wanted to talk about that dream I had." She nodded and we sped up slightly, "You don't think he could actually corrupt me from a dream, do you?"

"I wouldn't think so." She looked at me for a second, "Do you feel different?"

"Slightly." I sighed, "I do feel, colder, I felt like shivering last night, even though my scales were warm."

"Why don't you ask Spyro? I thought you said he had Convexity."

"He does, but I haven't even told him the dream, I left it out because of Hunter."

"Then tell him when you get some time."

"Will do. I love you."

"I love you, too."

We reached Warfang in a matter of minutes, and I guess Spyro and Cynder got excited, because they started increasing their speed. Sophia and I landed about two minutes after them. We were greeted by suspicious stares. I kind of expected it, since I came out of nowhere, and Sophia probably had rumors spread about her. I put my left wing over Sophia in a caring fashion, just so these dragons know, we help each other. During the short walk to the Temple, I felt Sophia's wing over my scales, but under my wing. I looked at her for a moment, she was nervous, I then put my wing closer to her, and she slightly calmed down. But then, came the insults.

"Traitor!" said one, "Daughter of Evil!" said another, and soon they weren't all calling us different names, instead, they started chanting, "Kill all evil!" Well, they were until…

"Silence!" I looked up, it wasn't Spyro, but rather his tutor for the Earth element, Terrador. He obviously was mad from their chanting, "Now, you will treat these young dragons with respect! They have gone out of their way to locate the Heroes of Avalar!"

There were mumbles going on within the crowd, "They are obviously plotting against you!" An Electric dragon shouted.

I was about to respond to the comment, but I felt a paw on my shoulder… it was Spyro, "Let's go inside while the Guardians convince them." He said.

I nodded, "Come on, Sophia." And we both followed Spyro into the temple. He took us to a room about the size of where Spyro trained back at the forest temple, but as soon as I saw the tables and chairs, I knew this room wasn't for training. My stomach 'agreed', and I could smell food.

"Yes, this is the Dining Room." Spyro said, chuckling, he must've heard my stomach. "Meet me in the first room to the left when you're done." Spyro then walked off to said room. The meat was raw, and again, even though I've only ate cooked meat all my life, the raw meat smelled and tasted just as good. I may have had a plate with generous portions, but Sophia's plate looked like it was about to snap in two! I felt bad for her, this is probably the first real meal she had since she ran away. I stopped staring and went back to eating, I didn't want her to see me watching her eat. It wasn't long before we were done, since we didn't actually 'restrain' ourselves from eating fast. We got up, and headed to the room where Spyro was waiting. Well, it wasn't just Spyro, there was also Cynder in what seemed like a bedroom.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" I asked as I found a pillow to lie down on.

"Yes, you told us your origins, but not how you know us." Cynder asked.

"Okay," I said, preparing in my mind the story, "Like I said, I was a human from the planet Earth. Well, as the most advanced species, we had a category of technology called 'Electronic Entertainment'. And within that a subcategory called 'Video Games'," I took a breath, "There was a trilogy of games called 'The Legend of Spyro', and it told a lot of information about you."

"So in your world, I'm fictional?" Spyro asked.

"Yes."

"Do you think I'm fictional?"

"After seeing this you and this place myself, no."

"Were there any dragons?" Cynder asked.

"Dragons were myths to certain cultures in my world."

"How did they view dragons, morally I mean."

"Cultures within the Chinese view the dragon, as a blessing from what I understand. They even have celebrations where a person would dress as one."

"But, some viewed them…" Cynder asked, a little softer.

"As evil, yes." I looked away, "I have had a fascination for myths, namely Greek and some Japanese ones as well."

"Would you mind telling us about these 'myths'?" Spyro asked, clearly interested.

But then I remembered something, "Maybe in a little bit," I looked at Spyro, "I've got something slightly more urgent right now to talk about."

Spyro shifted uneasily, "Okay, what is it?"

"It is about Convexity and Malefor." I said grimly, but before they asked, I said, "I had a dream two nights before. Pam, Sophia, and I were sleeping, but I woke up, in the dream I mean, to see that they were gone. I looked around to find claw marks in the ground, they were dragged somewhere." I started shivering, but it would take an observant eye to notice, "I followed the trail into a clearing, and hid behind a tree." I remembered Malefor's face, "I was pushed out into the open, by some invisible force. It was then I saw that Pam had been mutilated, while Sophia was strapped to an altar. Then he started talking to me. He said, he wants a way back to this world, so he could destroy it, he knows that Spyro isn't at his full potential. He would even go to the extent of corrupting his own daughter, and me." I looked away for the last words, "He then grabbed me, he said that Sophia would join him after losing me, but not to death. He raised his other paw… and it began to radiate darkness, he then placed that paw on me, and I felt the darkness take root. He then dropped me, and I woke up from the dream."

"Spyro, you don't think he could actually corrupt him from a dream, right?" Cynder asked.

"That is what I was going to ask. Because the night before finding you two, my insides were shivering, yet my scales felt warm."

Spyro seemed deep in thought, "It could be possible, I regained my elements after the battle with Cynder through my dreams." Again, he began to think, "But, I thought Malefor was dead."

"Something must revived him." I said, yet it was more of a question.

"Yea, but what?" Spyro asked.

"We could ask Pam." Sophia suggested. "She is an alchemist, after all."

"Agreed, let's find her." I said.

"We'll just stay here." Spyro said, "I will ask the Guardians about these things you told us."

"Okay." And with that, we parted. As soon as we got out of the Temple, we heard someone yell, "Be gone! I don't trust outsiders!" And the dragon who exited that house just so happened to be Pam. We immediately went to her side, she had her head down.

"What happened?" Sophia asked.

Pam looked away, "I tried to show her that I knew some medicinal plants, but when I pointed out that the roots of Mud Weed could be used to heal, she kicked me out."

"Mud Weed?" I asked in the name of ignorance.

"Oh right, Mud Weed is… was thought to carry a potent disease." Pam explained.

"So, she was stuck on folk tales?"

"Yea."

"Isn't there a professional herbalist here?" Sophia asked.

"That is how I ended up here." Pam gestured to the house she just got kicked out of.

"Oh, the reason we came looking for you is we wanted to know if there was anything natural to bring back the dead." Sophia said.

"Not that I know of."

"Let's just hope I'm wrong, then." I said.

"Now, don't leave me clueless."

"It would be better to tell you in private. Let's go back to the Temple."

"Okay." Pam, Sophia, and I went back to the temple, where the Guardians, except Volteer, and the Heroes of Avalar were waiting.

"We need to talk, all of you." Terrador spoke. He then lead the group to a room, this room had no windows, and the door looked sturdier. There was also a pool in the center, the Pool of Visions, if I remember correctly.

"Is this about the dream I had?"

"Yes, if what Spyro said is true, then use the Pool of Visions, allow us to see the dream you had." Cyril said.

I went over to the Pool, I wasn't completely sure how to use it, however when I walked near it and started thinking about that horrid dream, it started to show in the Pool.

"Yes, I'm afraid this might be a true vision." Terrador said grimly, after the dream ended.

"Spyro also said you were shivering on the inside the night before you found them." Cyril said.

"Yes."

"Yet you were warm on the outside." Terrador added.

"That is also true."

A dragon rushed through the door, it was none other than Volteer, with about ten books on him.

"I trust you found books that are directly relevant?" Cyril said.

"Yes, yes of course, well, all except for one." Volteer picked up the book that wasn't 'directly' relevant. It was titled 'Ancient Remedies'. "I was picking up books on Darkness, Convexity, and all of the others, when I tripped over this one, not only was it lying on the floor, but it was also turned to a chapter called 'Resurrection Rites'." Volteer began flipping the pages to said chapter, "According to this, back in the ancient times of dragons, when the art of writing was flourishing, an alchemical genius, Blaze, was researching the more, forbidden wings of potions."

"He was trying to see if he could conjure something living, right?" Pam asked.

"Precisely, but his trials always ended in failures. However, one unfortunate day, while both he and his wife were away, their son got into Blaze's lab, and died by some means. Anyway, after Blaze and his wife got home, his wife found their son in his lab… she immediately left him. Blaze, even though guilt was hitting him hard, he thought of something, 'Even though I cannot bring life to something corporeal, maybe I can bring back life to the dead.' Blaze then made a potion he made before, with a few modifications. It was then he truly disgraced the ancestors… he took his son's soul from the ancestors and put it back in the son's body. The ancestors then cursed Blaze, Blaze will grow old, but he cannot die with age, and when he does die, he will come back to life. The ancestors then told all dragons in that era that if anyone repeats that action, they will receive the same punishment."

It took a few moments for that to sink in, "So, in a way, they gave him eternal life." Spyro said.

"In a way, yes. But it reads that he still grows weaker with age."

"Please tell me he can't work on his experiments." I nearly yelled.

"It doesn't say."

"What about his son?" Sophia asked.

"The son went to his mother, and lived with her. That is all the book says."

"What about his recipes? Did the ancestors destroy them?" Pam asked, I wasn't sure, but I could've sworn I heard some concern in her voice, almost like she wanted to have those recipes.

"Again, doesn't say. Let's just hope so."

"Yea." It was a little more evident, Pam sounded disappointed, but no-one else seemed to notice.

"Tell me that freak isn't near his lab!" Cynder said angrily.

Volteer looked through the pages, "It doesn't say."

Cynder groaned, "I swear if he is working on anything like that, I will…" She was cut off by Spyro.

"Don't worry much about it, remember Volteer said he grows weaker with age, maybe he doesn't have the energy to work."

"Yea, but what if he has a dragon working for him?" Cynder asked.

"Well, let's hope not."

"Get some sleep, then, we can talk more tomorrow." Terrador stated.

Sophia and I shared a room, before she fell asleep I had to ask, "Sophia, did you notice anything in Pam's voice when she asked about those recipes, like concern."

She looked at me, "I thought I was the only one."

"You don't actually think she would do something like that?"

"I can't say, I've known her for a while now, but she did seem… off when asking that question." Sophia nudged my side lightly, "Good night, I love you."

"I love you, too." And with that, I fell asleep.


	3. Conflicts

**Chapter 3: Conflicts**

I woke up, _'No dreams again.'_ I thought. I looked over to my side, Sophia was still sleeping. I then had a terrible thought, _'What if Pam left us, for Blaze's Lab?'_

_**'Wouldn't you like to know.'**_ A voice in my head said, it sounded like Malefor.

_'Leave me alone, will ya!'_

_**'Fine, I'm just here to tell you that Pam will leave you both.'**_

_'Yeah, and how do you know this will happen?'_ He just laughed, and I received no other answer.

"Good morning, Mark." I heard Sophia say.

"Good morning."

"You are worried about Pam, aren't you?"

"Yea."

"Me too."

"I am going to check on her." I said as I got up.

"Meet you at breakfast, then." When I got to Pam's room, the door was already open, I then looked inside but Pam wasn't in there. _'I hope she went to get some…'_ I stopped mid-thought when a saw what was none other than a slip of paper, which I picked up and read.

_'You wouldn't ever understand Sophia, even less from you, Mark. All you think Alchemy is about are the potions. No, it isn't. There is even magic associated with it, but I wouldn't expect you to understand. This is an opportunity I will not miss. Whatever any of you do, do NOT follow me, I would rather work at that lab, then be put down by the wanna-be Alchemists here.'_

The whole time I read it, I was walking, and while I was walking I kept thinking, _'What could be so important, that she abandons everyone for a place that might not even exist now.?'_ I was soon at the breakfast area, where I saw Sophia with Spyro, Cynder, and the Guardians, and as soon as they saw me, I raised the note and put on a concerned face. They were all there in a matter of seconds, I let Sophia have it first, and she read it aloud. "Why, Pam?" She passed the note back to me, crying. I gave her a hug, but it wasn't enough for her, Pam must've been a lifelong friend for her.

Volteer came back, I must've been too busy with Sophia to notice he left, and he said, "She took the book, too."

I looked at Spyro, "I know this is a bad thing to say, but you don't think, _he_ had something to do with this, do you?"

"I can't really say."

"_He_ did say he was looking for a way into this world."

"Don't say stuff like that!" Sophia said between heavy sobs.

"I'm only thinking for the good of her and all of us." Sophia nodded, "Like I said, I know it was a bad thing to say." I looked at Volteer, "Please tell me there was anything relating to where this place is."

"Do I know? No, but I would suspect it would be somewhere very cold."

"Sophia, we got to find her." She nodded, "We will find Pam, I promise you." I wiped her tears. Again she nodded. "Are you all coming with us?"

"I will stay, there needs to be at least one guardian here." Cyril said.

"Everyone else is coming, then?"

I heard a unanimous, "Yes."

"Then let's get moving." We immediately took flight and headed north. About ten minutes into the flight, I saw a dragon lying on the ground, obviously injured. I decided to turn towards the dragon's direction, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the rest stop, and began following me. When I landed, I noticed that the dragon had no eyes.

But, he 'looked' at me as soon as I landed, then took a defensive stance, "Be gone! I may not be able to see, but I can still detect your presence, Demon Helper!"

"What?" I asked, stunned.

"Feigning innocence won't help you now!" A few moments later, the rest landed, "So you got company…" he 'looked' at the Guardians then back at me, "and now you trick the Guardians themselves?"

Terrador looked at him for a moment, "I would suggest to not assume things, we are here because a dragon seeks to find Blaze's Lab."

"Why would the Guardians want to…" He stopped again, this time 'looking' at Sophia, "Terrador, Volteer, why do you travel with Malefor's daughter?" He began to sound worried, "And where are Cyril and Ignitus? And is that… Spyro? Cynder, too?"

"Who are you?" Spyro asked.

"I am just an aged dragon, but…" He seemed to 'observe' Spyro, "Spyro, is that, Convexity in you?" He sounded fearful, "YOU! Demon Helper! Why did you do this?" He growled at me.

"He didn't do this to me!" Spyro nearly yelled back.

"Why not? He has his own darkness in him, too. And he has feelings for this… monster!" He pointed at Sophia.

"This is going isn't going anywhere!" Terrador shouted, clearly annoyed, "Listen, old one, and listen well. We are here to hunt down the one who seeks Blaze's Lab. NOT help her! Now, tell us where she is, or we will be on our way."

He growled, "Very well. A dragon came up to me not long ago with an ancient book, demanding to know where that cursed lab is. I refused to tell her, and in response she spat poison in my eyes and gave me a deep wound into my underbelly. She said she would continue until I spoke. I told her, no more, and gave her the location. She is only going to accomplish damnation there."

"Where? We can stop her."

"The cave is behind the first mountain, near ground level." He pointed to said mountain. "Now, leave me be." We took off towards the location he gave us, and I hope we aren't too late.

The cave was actually quite easy to find, but the things inside made my stomach turn. I looked at one of the dead dragons that were in this cave. It looked fine on one side, but after I flipped him over, the dragon had a large portion of scales missing. "That… freak!" I said as I immediately turned away. Minutes after entering, the corpses were replaced by flasks and an occasional smelter.

"Well, look who's here." A voice said, and a red dragon started walking towards us, from the shadows. "Another apprentice, perhaps? Or are you here to steal my secrets? Or even try to destroy my works?"

The red dragon didn't look weak at all, he couldn't be Blaze. "We are here to retrieve a friend." Sophia said.

"You mean the green dragoness? She seems quite content here."

"I don't believe you, where is she?" I demanded.

"She isn't to be bothered right now."

"You have her confined, don't you?"

"Confined? No, your friend chose to come here, she wanted in on all the secrets that I, Blaze, have found throughout my entire damned life."

"You're Blaze, then? I thought you would be older." I said.

He shook his head, "No wonder she chose this over you."

"Why you!" I got angry for a moment, then calmed back down, I can't do anything stupid.

"Just take me to her!" Sophia nearly shouted.

Blaze walked up to her, "I thought you would understand the most. Did all your time with these…heroes mess up how you think?"

"Leave her alone!" I growled.

"Oh, I can't do that." He got closer to Sophia, which caused her to turn her head, "I do hope you remember that, deal, we made, hmm?" Sophia snapped her head back to face him, which cause Blaze to grin, but instead of responding, she clawed him on the underbelly. "You know you can't kill me." He laughed.

"No, but I can." Pam said, approaching him, she was obviously angry, in a swift motion, she clawed Blaze's left eye out.

"What did I…"

"You know what you did." She slapped him on the face, "You gave me a recipe that would cause a poison gas cloud." She spat poison in his other eye, which caused him to fall on the floor. "But don't worry, I found one of your more, ancient rituals. Do you remember the one that had to do with memory stealing?"

"How did you get it?"

"Did you forget I can spit corrosive poison that quickly?" She grabbed his head and slammed it onto the wall, "Now, let's try that ritual, shall we?"

"You do know you will get all of my memories, right? Not just my successes."

"I'll deal with it." Pam then muttered a few words and the paw holding Blaze began to glow blue, a few more words and her other paw began to glow blue as well, which she put on her head. Blaze began screaming, and I could hear Pam whimpering. Once Pam's paws stopped glowing, she dropped Blaze, who was now holding his head in a fetal position. She turned to us, she was still angry, but not as much as before. "I told you not to follow me." She then looked at Blaze, "But, you all as a distraction is much easier than knocking him unconscious." She walked over a few paces and came back with the book, "You can keep your book, I got what I came here for."

"You're not coming back?" Sophia asked, teary-eyed.

She scoffed, "Why should I? Once the dragons in Warfang know I've been here, I might as well stay here." Pam was suddenly calm, then a smile on her face. "Unless, you want to give me your answer?"

"Which one?"

Pam giggled, "You know, the one you said you would think about? Which you've been 'thinking' about for nearly five years now."

"Oh, that one." Sophia looked at me with a concerned face, than she looked back at Pam, "Can I at least tell him?"

Pam sighed, "As long as I get the answer, I don't care who you tell."

I felt nervous, what were they talking about? Why did it involve me? "Mark, we need to talk." She looked at the others, "Privately." I followed her deeper into the cave, it is better to see these flasks and smelters, than to look at corpses.

"What's wrong?" I asked when we were a good distance away from the others.

"You will be the first dragon I ever told about this." She sighed, "It is about Pam and I, when we first met."

_Flashback_

_It all started the day I fled my father. I woke up to hear screaming, and the source was my mom, being strangled by my dad. Horrified, I ran away, and luckily I was still small enough to go through tunnels that none of the ape guards could. After escaping my home, I started wandering. I decided to head to the forest, but I wasn't alone. As I neared the forest, a shadow began growing over me, I looked up to see Cynder in her corrupt form. She landed near me, and threatened to kill me._

_ "I have a better idea." She laughed, "Since you left your mother to die, I'll just do the same for you." Cynder then cut me multiple times, nothing to deep and no-where vital. After she was done, she threw me into the forest, and flew off._

_ I was on the grass for what felt like hours, that is when I saw what looked like a moving bush, I couldn't tell, my vision was getting blurry. "Come on, I got you." The 'bush' said. I then felt some type of liquid being applied to my cuts. The liquid took the pain away. My savior then gave me some healing crystals. Within minutes I was able to stand, my hero was a Poison dragon. "Thank the ancestors you are all right! My name is Pam, yours?"_

_ "I'm Sophia." I then looked away, "Why did you help me? Don't you know I'm Malefor's daughter?"_

_ Pam seemed taken aback by that, "No, I didn't know." She then smiled, "But, does it matter? They left you here to die."_

_ I suddenly felt at peace with Pam, "I- how can I repay you?" I asked._

_ That is when Pam blushed, "You don't have to."_

_ "No really, you saved my life." I said, unaware of the meaning of a blush._

_ That is when she walked up to me, and kissed me on the lips, I felt stunned, "That is all you owe." Pam blushed even more, "Unless you want more?"_

_ "I-uh… c-can I th-think this over?"_

_ "Sure, but first, we should get into the thicker parts of the forest, before Cynder comes back."_

_End of Flashback_

I was stunned, I would never imagine Pam as a homosexual. I had a feeling I knew what Sophia was going to ask, but I waited until she actually asked. "Mark, don't take this the wrong way, I do love you, but I worry for Pam, it's like, I love her too. I was actually going to tell her the day you came, that I would be with her, since Tremor didn't show feeling for me."

"Just ask the question." I said, trying to not sound distressed.

"Would you be angry at me if I left you for Pam?"

I began to think, I really love Sophia, and Pam loves her too, it seems. However, I always been open for the more… weird ideas. I know back on Earth it is a crime in certain religions to have more than one lover. I really wanted to go with that, but I knew nothing of dragon culture. _'Ah, screw it.'_ I would tell her regardless. "I need a question or two answered first."

She seemed like she was prepared to hear that, "Sure."

How can I put this, "I am not aware of much dragon culture, and I am not sure if this is considered 'taboo' to you or not, but it is the only solution I can think of that will satisfy me." _'Here it goes.'_ I took a breath, "Back on Earth, certain religions view having more than one love a bad thing. I love you and I assume you love me. Pam loves you and I assume you love her. If you and Pam agree, I am willing to go that direction."

Now it was her turn to be stunned, "So you're asking me to love you and her? I- that is unheard of!"

I thought that would be the response. "You already know that some dragons in Warfang hate me, just because I love you. I heard whispers like, 'That dragon is signing his death contract.' I ignore them, though, because if I truly love you, I don't care what customs, law, or what other people say."

"I suppose. But what if Pam doesn't agree? What if she forces me to choose?"

"I hate to put it this way, but that is your decision." I said bluntly.

"Okay."

"Just don't go saying something that you truly don't mean." I warned. "Are you ready to go back?"

"Yeah."

When we got back, there was only Pam, "The rest decided to go back to Warfang."

"Well, that makes this a little easier." Sophia said.

"So, I assume you have the answer?"

"Mark proposed a really weird idea, but we need your approval first."

She seemed a little upset, but decided to be cheerful, "What's the idea?"

"M-Mark said that back on his home planet, some religions, but not all, see having more than one lover as a bad thing. H-he suggested that I s-should love you both." She turned away from Pam, clearly embarrassed at the thought of that idea.

Pam focused on me, "You do realize that would be, an act of defiance to the traditions, right?"

"I have considered that."

"Yet you still suggest it." She seemed a little angry, oh did I screw this up.

So I tried to explain myself, "Like I told Sophia, if you truly love, it shouldn't matter what the traditions are."

"I, see." Pam actually was considering it! "Sophia, as long as we are both equal to you, I will agree."

She actually considered it! I never thought I could convince anyone to break tradition! Sophia also seemed surprised. "I will!" She said cheerfully. Pam and I both hugged Sophia. After we let her go, Sophia asked, "Pam, about that ritual…"

Pam chuckled, "I didn't do the actual thing, I just erased his memories."

"Oh. But did you really kill him?"

"I could have, but..." Pam looked at Blaze, "leaving him blind would be better, I think."

"Are you two ready to leave?" They nodded, "Good, this place doesn't suite me." We then left the cave and headed back to Warfang.

* * *

A/N: Yea, there will be some Sophia x Pam in some later chapters, but I will not go any further than kissing, same applies for Sophia x Mark.


End file.
